


Day 353

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [353]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [353]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 353

Aveline walked down the long staircase to the Alienage. It had been a while since she had come this way, she had not made it past the gate before being stopped this year. In fact… she couldn’t think of a time she had ever come this way without Hawke leading the way. An oversight as guard captain.

The elves watched her with concern and contained hostility, though after all that had happened Avleine was thankful they were containing their ire for her. Brennan was waiting by the big tree in the middle of the Alienage, a somber expression on her face.

“Captain,” she said with a crisp salute. “I’ve kept them all in the guard-post.”

Aveline nodded and followed her guard into the squat building. There were a few basic cells inside. Mostly for holding criminal or drunken elves until they could be moved elsewhere. Only two were currently occupied. One held a guardswoman. A newer addition to the force, but Alveline recognized her as Guardswoman Nina Haider. She had a stout build and better shield technique then some who had served on the force for years. She had recently fought in the battle with the blood mages in Darktown and, by all accounts, had saved the lives of a half-dozen of her fellows in the battle. A good guard and one Aveline would be loathe to lose.

The other call contained an elven woman Brennan’s report had named as Phelomela. She was skinny, even for an elf, all awkward angles and bony joints. Her violet eyes were staring daggers at Nina. They were both bruised and bloodied from the fight they had had in the streets this morning. Aveline looked over Brennan’s report on the incident again. It was very bare-bones, only the facts she was absolutely sure of. This was the first major incident between a guard of Brennan’s unit and the local elves and Brennan was determined to make no assumptions either way.

Guardswoman Nina Haider turned up for the start of her patrol and entered the residence of Phelomela Cavin. Witnesses reported shouting and the sound of heavy objects being thrown. Both women emerged into the street in the middle of an altercation. When they were separated Guardswoman Nina reported a theft perpetrated by Phelomela and Phelomela accused Guardswoman Nina of extortion and intimidation. Both parties were detained pending an investigation.

Aveline walked over to Nina’s cell and asked her what was stolen.

“My necklace. My husband gave it to me on our wedding day and reported it stolen a few nights ago. Then I see this knife ea- knife wielding bitch wearing my necklace bold as brass. When I tried to take it back she attacked me.”

“And you,” Aveline said to Phelomela, “you attacked a member of the guard. Why?”

“She barged into my home and attacked me,” she said. “I don’t care what your job is, you can’t just come in hitting people in their own homes.”

“Where did you get the necklace?” Aveline asked.

“It was a gift.”

“From?” Aveline pressed. When Phelomela didn’t respond she added. “Hiding information from the guard is just as bad as lying.”

“A man I met down by the docs,” Phelomela replied sheepishly. “Godfry… Haider”

“You bitch!” Nina shouted, trying to reach her through the bars. “You dirty homewrecking whore. I’ll kill you if you come anywh-” 

“That’s enough!” Aveline snapped. She had to think before acting here. Her instinct was to side with Nina. Her soldier-her guard. The necklace was in fact hers and having Nina’s loyalty would save lives down the road, and the guards needed the confidence of having the Captain trust them. Letting people get away with resisting guards set a bad precedent, but if the elves- if the people of Kirkwall didn’t trust the guards, what would that cost?

“Phelomela, the necklace was a gift, you said. So returning it to its rightful owner will cost you nothing, yes?”

“Yes,” Phelomela replied through gritted teeth. She pulled the necklace from her neck, snapping the chain in the process. She threw it as hard as she could at Nina who caught it easily.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said.

“Nina you are hereby relieved of your position as a member of the Kirkwall City Guard.”

“What?” she sputtered.

“You acted inappropriately. Your actions were excessive and you let personal feelings interfere with your work. This was a personal matter and you should have gotten another guard to assist in the recovery of your property. When you use the uniform to shield yourself from consequence it weakens us all. You are unfit for duty.” Without another word Aveline turned on her heel and left the guard post. Brennan followed her.

“What should I do with them?” she asked nervously.

“Phelomela committed no crime,” Aveline replied. “Release her immediately. Give Nina a few hours to calm down and then escort her from the district. Made sure no one tried to exact revenge for her attack. Then send her home. I’m sure she and her husband have a lot to talk about.”

Brennan gave another salute, this time with a wry smile underneath her formality. 

“As you say, Mam.”


End file.
